Yume
by Bottou-chan
Summary: Raiha decides to use a madougu to enter Fuuko's dreams.
1. Yume: Prologue

  

**Yume: Prologue**   
**dedicated to**   
**Fuuko no Miko**

**[Bottou-chan][1]**

**[My Page][2]**

 Author's note:   
H'mmm... this is my first attempt at a Raiha/Fuuko fic. *grin* It's really a  bribe in disguise *waves cheerfully*. Anyhow, this one is kind of...  different. Most of it takes place in a dream. Dreams are weird. It kind of  helps if you know something about dreaming when you read it. Everyone (I  hope!) dreams, but not everyone dreams the same way. Some people dream in  color, others in black and white. Some people can feel and smell; others can't. Some people know they're dreaming; others have no clue. If you  already know about lucid dreams (knowing you're dreaming) and that sort of  thing, kudos! But just to give a quick overview of a few points, I wrote up an explanation of "[how things work][3]" for those who were interested. Anyhow, I feel really weird about this one, but this one's my baby, like all  the others were... and since it wanted to get written, it got written.   
-Bottou-chan 

  
  
  


Sweet dreams 'til sunbeams find you,   
Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you,   
Birds singing in the sycamore tree,   
Dream a little dream of me.   
-the Mamas and the Papas   
  

  


******   
One week had passed since the girl had been rescued. 

Things weren't quite back to normal yet. Mokuren was still undergoing Genjuro's ministrations. He had been badly burned during his confrontation with Recca. Privately, the purple-haired ninja wouldn't have minded if he had been completely disposed of. His crudity and lack of panache grated upon Raiha's nerves. He had a sneaking suspicion his underling would just as cheerfully attack someone such as Neon as he would attack an enemy. However, if it suited Mori to keep him around, then so be it. He would keep his peace. 

The boy and the little girl had abandoned the Uruha, and for this, Raiha felt secretly glad. The Uruha really was no place for children. It had been fortunate for both Koganei and Ganko to have been 'discovered' when they had been, and taken in-- but it was equally fortunate that this had not turned into a permanent arrangement. Neon had wanted to kill Koganei on the spot for his abandonment... but she had been convinced to spare him for the moment. Raiha hoped that this delay of justice would permit the boy to be spared entirely. He knew that Kurei had had big plans for the boy... his brilliant mind had attracted Kurei's attention, and he had invested much personal time and effort into making him what he was now. Having Koganei turn against his former friends so quickly, with so little warning, suddenly dashing Kurei's plans for him into shards-it was a dangerous situation, and the boy was lucky to be alive. Hopefully, as time eased Kurei's anger, he would forget about proper punishment. Then again, time wasn't very good at easing Kurei's anger at all. Still, Raiha would do what he could. 

One wing of the mansion had undergone considerable fire damage. The smoke had been even more destructive. Cleaning crews, carpenters, plumbers, and electricians had been at work nonstop in an attempt to make the damaged section of the mansion habitable once more. Mori Kouran was seething because not only would he have to pay for the repairs, but his little healer had been allowed to escape. He held Kurei personally responsible. Kurei, in his icy manner, did not seem to care about his father's rage. Rather, he had been intrigued. Not impressed, but intrigued by the sudden reappearance of his half-brother into his life, plus his friends in tow. 

Raiha was intrigued, too. 

He had been watching the monitors from the security room. Kurei had given him strict instructions to not interfere. The purple-haired girl had only been another intruder, until he had caught sight of what she wore on her arm. 

It was the Fuujin. 

It looked just like it did in the old scroll Kurei had shown him, although it was now missing its central crystal. That was only to be expected, as Raiha had that crystal in his own possession, using it to seal off his Raijin's power. He found himself wondering what she could do with a Fuujin which was not at its full power. After all, she was only an amateur. It was rare that an amateur with a madougu could tap into much of its power. Those three nincompoops Kurei had working for him were an exceptional example of that fact. 

She didn't have to use her Fuujin against Maria, though. Raiha was rather impressed at that. So many people overused their madougu, employing them even in the simplest of tasks. Raiha had only used his once or twice in the past. He preferred to rely on his katana and his ninja techniques; using the Raijin against most opponents would be like dousing a match with a fire hose. She and her friends had easily taken care of Maria and progressed onwards. 

_But what about a human opponent? _he had wondered, following them as they made their way through the mansion. Ganko was not exactly the most capable member of the Uruha. Still, in her childish way, she was clever, pretending to be a doll named Primela. She used her favorite mannequin, Reira, as a decoy to fight Fuuko. If only Ganko hadn't been so hesitant at the end…! But it was fortunate for Fuuko's sake, and Raiha couldn't hold Ganko's weakness against her. She was still a child. 

He had followed their fight with great interest. While Fuuko's capabilities were not quite adept, she seemed to be at one with her Fuujin. She just needed more experience to truly maximize its potential, even without the central orb. But the girl had great potential. 

Later, she had stood up against Kurei and Kurenai. The girl had been quite brave, although of course Kurei had easily disposed of her at her current level. But she had guts, facing him like that, especially in her amateurish state. Only a brave girl or a foolish one would put herself in such a position… but she was certainly no fool. Raiha could easily tell that much. 

He felt oddly drawn to the girl. He was curious about her. What made her tick? What did she like? What was her life like? What kind of a person was she when she wasn't fighting? 

However, it would be dangerous if he tried to pursue her. Kurei would not approve if he found out he had been consorting with their enemies… and Kurei would be sure to find out. Raiha preferred to allow his loyalty to remain unquestioned. But by the same token, his curiosity refused to go on unsated. 

And so he had taken the madougu, Yume, from its place in the collection of the other unused madougu. No one had questioned his choice. He was Jyushinshuu, after all, answerable only to Kurei. 

Raiha now sat in his room in the mansion, seated cross-legged on the floor. He had placed a mirror against his bed, and lit a candle. The candle illuminated his room with a soft light; crickets were chirping outside his window, and the mansion was silent. Very peaceful. Very conducive for meditation. He gazed into his own eyes in the reflection, slowly losing touch with himself. As his slipped into unconsciousness, the Yume, hanging around his neck, flashed brightly. 

   [1]: mailto:koganeikaoru@hotmail.com
   [2]: http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/Dell/2329/recca/recca.htm
   [3]: http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/Dell/2329/recca/dreamexplanation.htm



	2. Yume: The First Dream

**Yume: Chapter One:**   
**The First Dream**   
**dedicated to**   
**Fuuko no Miko**

**[Bottou-chan][1]**

**[My Page][2]**

Stars fading, but I linger on, dear,   
Still craving your kiss;   
I'm longing to linger 'til dawn, dear,   
Just saying this.   
-the Mamas and the Papas   
  

  


******   
The Yume. 

It was a complex madougu, requiring great mental capacity from its possessor. Raiha had dabbled with it a few times, but had never included it into his repertoire. A madougu requiring the unconsciousness of its master and its target wasn't particularly useful in a combat situation. The Yume had been developed for espionage rather than for battles. 

The Yume allowed its master access to manipulate the dreams of another. Not only would it allow Raiha control over the events of someone's dream, but it would also trigger lucidity in its victim. The victim would be dreaming… and know he was dreaming. So often, dreamers ended up doing silly, illogical things because their conscious mind was too far supressed by their subconscious mind to know better. But when a dreamer was dreaming-and knew he was dreaming-that's where the fun began. They stayed closer to their true characters. After all, of what use are masks in the dream-world? Dream-people did not exist. Dream-people did not need to be impressed, or cajoled, or flattered. Only the dreamer mattered in the dream-world. 

And Raiha was counting on that to get to know Fuuko better. 

* * * 

A giant golden dragon reared onto its hind legs, clapping its wings together and breathing fire. Fuuko hid behind a low, crumbling wall as the flames soared past her, searing her face with their heat. 

_It's going to eat me,_ she thought silently to herself, wide-eyed, crouched in hiding. Her Fuujin was wrapped protectively around her arm, and she tried to think of a battle plan against it. 

"He's not going to go away," remarked a calm voice, and Fuuko was amazed to find a man dressed as a ninja, sitting comfortably next to her. 

_He wasn't here a few moments ago… where did he come from?_ she puzzled to herself. Something didn't seem quite right… a dragon? A medieval European castle? A ninja? This didn't make sense… this didn't make sense… this didn't make sense… 

"This is a dream," she informed the ninja bluntly as it occurred to her. 

"I believe so," he replied, glancing around. "It's a silly dream, too." 

"Silly?" retorted Fuuko, her eyebrow twitching. "I'm about to get fried by a dragon! Show some consideration!" 

He laughed. "Since when do people _really_ die in dreams?" he asked calmly. "Dreams don't affect your real body… your body is in a different plane right now. But your mind is here. You can control where your mind is, if you try hard… you can control this situation, even." 

More flames came hurtling past. Fuuko ducked instinctively, but Raiha calmly held his hand in their path. He held it out for Fuuko's inspection. What should have been a mere charred stump was a perfectly sound hand. "It's not for real," he repeated, "Unless you let it be. What you think happens turns into reality, because this is all in your mind." 

Fuuko frowned in determination. "I'm not going to waste my dream hiding behind a wall," she informed him. "It's being so obnoxious, I'm going to kill it. Are you going to come along and help, or are you just going to sit here and watch?" 

He bowed politely. "I'm sure that you're more than capable of slaying it yourself… but I can't leave you to do this work by yourself. Of course I'll help." 

"Good," said Fuuko, nodding vigorously. "Can you use your sword any?" 

"I believe I can. A bit," he replied, with a smile twinkling in his eyes. 

"All right." Fuuko outlined her battle plan, and he nodded, listening intently. 

* * * 

Fuuko sprinted ahead towards the dragon. She watched it closely as it charged up its fire once more. Inhale… inhale… inhale… as it released its fiery breath, she used her Fuujin to create a giant mass of wind which lifted her safely into the air. With unerring accuracy, she threw several of her needles into its eyes, and the dragon howled in pain. It lashed out blindly with its tail… its tail… she had forgotten its tail. 

Its tail would hurt. 

Her friend had told her not to think of getting hurt, and she wouldn't-but she couldn't help but cringe as she expected the blow. 

It never came. 

He had been about to lunge in to attack its soft underside, but had instead raced over and severed its tail. It fell harmlessly to one side as Fuuko landed with a hard bump, her concentration broken. He then easily cut off its head, and the dragon rolled over onto one side, vanquished. 

He was breathing a little heavily as he made his way towards her. 

"I told you not to think about that," he said, gently chiding her as he took his seat at her side. 

"Arigatou," panted Fuuko, still upset from the near-accident. "I know he can't hurt me… but I couldn't control my thoughts when he tried…" She leaned up against him, and he held her for a few moments, patting her hair and gently rubbing her shoulders. 

"It's okay, Fuuko-san," he reassured her. "It's over now." 

She pulled away somewhat and looked up at him. "How do you know my name?" 

He laughed. "I'm part of your mind, too… just like the dragon was. My name is Raiha… I suppose you made me up. Am I the ninja of your dreams?" He grinned at her. 

Fuuko made a face. "I don't want a ninja," she said, frowning. She thought about the years she had spent trying to defeat Recca, and the disappointment she had felt when he had submitted to Yanagi without a fight. 

"Then I can be your prince," he suggested. "The prince who slayed the dragon for his lovely Hime." 

Fuuko grinned. "All right, then," she agreed. "You may be my prince. What's your name again?" 

"Raiha," he answered. 

"Raiha… what a nice name," remarked Fuuko, yawning. She stretched her arms and looked at her new friend with a some surprise in her eyes. "Funny… I'm tired even in my dream." 

"It takes a lot of energy to think," he replied calmly. "Come over here and curl up… I just want to sit and talk with you for a little. It wouldn't do for a Hime to be so mysterious towards her own Prince, ne? This is a castle… let's go look for the courtyard. There's probably a garden and a fountain and all sorts of things in there." 

Fuuko took his hand as they walked through the castle. She chattered happily about herself, reminiscing about past occasions and confiding about her future aspirations. 

"Sometimes, I get tired of being the strong one all the time," she confided to him. "It's nice having someone to rely on." 

"Meaning?" he prompted. 

She waved her hand airily. "The others… Recca. Yanagi. Domon. Mi-chan, even. Yanagi gets to be the Hime, so she gets to always rely on others if she's in danger. But she gets to be relied upon for things like healing. So she gets the best of both worlds. Domon's got strength, but he doesn't have the intellect to maximize it. I try and back him up whenever I can. If I got into real trouble, he'd rush in and try to help me-but if it was just a minor thing, he'd expect me to handle it myself. He'd be disappointed in me if I couldn't. Recca's pretty hotheaded, and he can get himself into situations and expect the rest of us to help carry him through if he's in over his head." She frowned. "I take that back… Recca's able to take care of himself. But if I was in danger, he wouldn't hurry off to save me as fast as he would for Yanagi. Because I'm not a damsel in distress… I'm just Fuuko in a pinch. But I can save myself as easily as he could save me, so why should he hurry?" She shrugged her shoulders. "Mi-chan is so cold, too. I understand why, of course-but still. I'm not really a woman to him, either. He just respects me for my fighting. So again, if I got into trouble, he wouldn't rush off to help me any faster than Recca would. 'Cause I'm not exactly a very girlish girl," she confided. 

Raiha patted her shoulder. "You don't need to be weak to be a girlish girl," he said. "It's not what you wear, or how you act, or how you look that makes you feminine… it's who you are deep down inside. You try and be strong for yourself. You succeed very well already. If you had better training, you could increase your power incredibly. But strengths and weaknesses don't make one masculine or feminine… it's the person behind the strengths and the weaknesses that matters." He looked at her encouragingly. "You try and be strong for your friends because they expect it. You try and be strong for yourself because you dislike weakness. But despite those masks you wear in front of your friends… you're a very vulnerable person inside. And you know what? I like the Fuuko I see here, right now. You're not pretending to be anything besides who you are… you're good at being honest with yourself, although you might not always be honest with your friends." 

She gave him a long, steady look. "You think so?" she asked. 

Raiha spread his hands and gestured towards her. "This is your dream," he replied. "What I'm saying is merely what you think, deep down inside. Perhaps you don't know the words… perhaps you won't admit it to yourself… but you know what I say is true, ne?" He smiled. ::She knows I'm right…:: 

Fuuko nodded. She glanced up at him, almost shyly. "Usually, my dreams are so weird, they're not worth remembering. But this one… it makes sense. I like it. You're a good sounding-board. It's so easy to talk to you… I really hope I remember this when I wake up in the morning." 

Raiha smiled gently at her. "You will," he said. "Perhaps you'll be able to manipulate me into one of your dreams in the future, ne?" 

Fuuko looked wistful. "I hope so," she admitted. "I don't usually get lucidity at all… it's only triggered by nightmares. Perhaps that's why it kicked in today… because I was afraid of the dragon." 

"Maybe so," said Raiha. "I---" 

But Fuuko had suddenly vanished. 

* * * 

Fuuko sat bolt upright in her bed, breathing hard. The alarm clock on her dresser was ringing loudly, and she swatted it with an annoyed hand. It had been such a pleasant dream! Why couldn't she have finished it? She thought about trying to go back to sleep to get back to it, but dismissed the idea as useless. That rarely worked. 

Besides, it was time for school. Silently cursing to herself, she staggered into her closet to get her uniform. 

* * * 

Raiha yawned and stretched. He had a horrible crick in his neck. _That's what I get for falling asleep sitting up,_ he thought with a wry smile as he massaged the tension away. His candle had extinguished itself long ago. Early-morning sunlight was streaming in through his windows. 

He removed the Yume from around his neck and placed it in a pocket. He would return it to the madougu room before breakfast. Fuuko seemed to be quite an interesting person… he made up his mind to give her another visit in the future. He'd give her a little time to herself… but he would visit again. 

   [1]: mailto:koganeikaoru@hotmail.com
   [2]: http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/Dell/2329/recca/recca.htm



	3. Yume: The Second Dream

  

**Yume: Chapter Two:**   
**The Second Dream**   
**dedicated to**   
**Fuuko no Miko**

**[Bottou-chan][1]**

**[My Page][2]**

Say nighty-night and kiss me,   
Just hold me tight and tell me you'll miss me.   
While I'm alone and blue as can be,   
Dream a little dream of me.   
-the Mamas and the Papas   
  

  


****** 

Raiha locked the door to his room and fell onto his bed, disgusted. He had delivered Koganei's invitation to the Urabutousatsujin earlier that evening. The poor boy's hand had been trembling. He hadn't needed to open the envelope to know what was inside. He had been around long enough to know what it meant. 

"Kurei wants to make my death a painful one," he had remarked, trying to joke. 

But Raiha had been serious as he had confronted the boy. "You don't need to show up," he had said. "Run away, go to some country where Kurei cannot follow you…" 

But Koganei had given him a strange look. "You don't have to say that, Raiha," he had told his former superior. Raiha had a suspicion that Koganei had expected it all this time. Perhaps he even looked forward to it. He hadn't gone through with his suicide before… he was alive after these months living on the street… perhaps he wanted someone else to kill  him and get it over with. If that was the case, Raiha understood, although he didn't like it. 

But he had bowed anyways and apologized. "I hope we do not meet again," he had said stiffly and formally before vanishing into the shadows. 

It had been a rough day. He pulled the Yume from his pocket and placed it around his neck. Perhaps he would visit Koganei in a few days, after he'd had time to sort through his emotions. But he would visit Fuuko tonight. 

* * * 

"Raiha!" Fuuko cried, recognizing him instantly. She had thrown her arms around his neck and kissed him impulsively on the cheek. 

"Fuuko!" he answered, a little surprised by the sudden kiss. "What's with the display of affection?" 

"You're my prince, ne?" she smiled mischeviously at him. "Usually, it's the prince who kisses the princess. But it looks like I had to take the initiative here." 

Raiha bowed. "Always at your service, Hime," and there was a glint of amusement in his eyes. 

There was no scenery today. Rather, they were floating aimlessly through nothingness. 

"You know, I've been trying to dream about you for a long time," she remarked. "But no luck… I'd pretty much given up hope." 

"I'm surprised you remembered me for that long," remarked Raiha. 

"Are you kidding? You're the most interesting person I've had in my dreams in ages," said Fuuko frankly. "Most of my dreams tend to get fuzzy as soon as I wake up. By breakfast, I forget that I even dreamed them in the first place. But the dream with you was different somehow. You're like a real person. It's like it really happened… it stayed fresh in my memory." 

"With lucid dreams, a different part of your mind is awake," said Raiha. "Your memory is in your conscious mind… things you forget live in your subconscious. But everything you've ever experienced is in your mind… somewhere. It's just a matter of finding it." 

"How interesting!" remarked Fuuko. "But this is a dream that's turning into a lecture. I don't want to dream about school… what shall you do for me today, my Prince?" She looked teasingly at him. 

"I could help you train," he offered. 

Fuuko wrinkled her nose. "I've been training nonstop for as long as I've been away from you. I'm sick of it. This stupid tournament coming up… But we'll make him pay for this." 

"Make who pay?" he pressed. 

Fuuko laughed. "For being a very knowledgeable part of myself that I didn't even know existed, there seems to be much you're unaware of." 

Raiha smiled. "Perhaps I'm merely part of you trying to get another part of you to organize your own thoughts by voicing them aloud?" 

Fuuko shook her head. "New subject. Too complicated. Let's just do something fun and mindless. Something that has nothing to do with Kurei or my madougu." 

Raiha pondered, then looked up at Fuuko with a smile. "Look around. Where are we now?" he asked her. 

"We're not really anywhere--- oh, no. We're under water!" A panicked look crossed her face, but Raiha held her hands firmly. 

"Keep still and don't worry," he reprimanded her. "If you're anxious, you can't have fun. Relax. Calm down. See? You can breathe…" 

"I can," she marveled. "I can breathe… I'm not drowning." She glanced down at her hands which he still held in his iron grip. As her gaze traveled lower, her eyes widened. "You've got a fish tail." 

"So do you. You're a mermaid. And you're swimming." Raiha released her, and with a flip of his tail, he rose several yards above her. He then took a sharp turn and spiraled downwards at her like a torpedo. It was all she could do to avoid him, but she was laughing at his antics. 

_I can even laugh underwater, _she noted absently to herself. Aloud, she called, "You're good! I can barely move." 

"You just need to want to do something… and it will happen," Raiha assured her. She chimed in with a singsong voice as he added, "Whose dream is it?" 

They played in the water for a considerable amount of time. Raiha conjured up schools of colorful fish to swim through, and a coral reef to explore. For good measure, he added in a shipwreck. And all the while, they chattered happily together. Rather, Raiha drew information from Fuuko, and she conversed with him freely. About how her mother would kill her if she found out about the Urabutousatsujin. About how her sensei would kill her if he knew she would skip a whole week. About how hard she and Domon had been training. About how she wanted to appear confident for the others, but really felt uncertain about what would happen at the tournament. 

"I'm used to fighting against Domon, and Domon's strong," said Fuuko, as they lazily swam through the depths. "But Domon's not much for strategy. I'm a bit concerned… what will happen if I meet someone who's strong _and_ who can think their attacks in advance? I can handle myself in a pinch, of course, but I've never been very good at things like chess or thinking too far ahead in fights. I'm usually a lot better than the guys I fight, so I don't have to. But if this is a tournament… I can't afford to be so unprepared. I'm sure the competition would be stiff." 

"Suppose you're in a fight. Take a look at your situation," advised Raiha. "See where the dangers are… and then try to isolate the dangers. It's easier to take on one problem at a time, rather than facing three or four simultaneously. Don't turn your back on the enemy. Know your enemy's range. Know the weaknesses of your enemy's weapons, and take advantage of that knowledge." 

Fuuko smiled. "And I said we wouldn't talk about fighting…" 

"You said we wouldn't discuss Kurei or the Fuujin," corrected Raiha, smiling. "But admit it… you've been so preoccupied with this tournament coming up, you can't even escape from your worries in your dreams." 

Fuuko nodded sadly. "I'm sure it will go all right. But it hasn't occurred to Recca yet… what happens to us if we lose? What about our parents? Our teachers? Our friends? How will they get explanations? I doubt Kurei will call our families up and apologize for murdering us in a deathmatch and will they please come collect our bodies?" She wrinkled her nose in distaste. "I'm more worried for my loved ones than I am for myself." 

"Be confident!" encouraged Raiha. "You've got great potential… and the more you use your weapon, the stronger you become with it." A shadow crossed his face. In a very calm, even voice, he added, "Fuuko… keep swimming. Don't panic. Don't look around." 

"H'm?" asked Fuuko, looking around. Her eyes widened and she paled as her gaze fell upon a large, shadowy, swimming figure. "A shark…" she whispered. 

"Ignore it," said Raiha, allowing Fuuko to take the lead. He had everything quite under control, as the shark was only there because he had willed it to be. Raiha had nothing to fear. But Fuuko didn't know that. "Don't seem to be bothered by it… but don't lose sight of it, either." 

Fuuko nodded, and kept one eye glued to the predator. She tried very hard to remain calm, but had a secret fear of sharks, ever since watching a horror movie when she was small. She increased her speed ever-so-slightly, but it was enough for Raiha to notice. 

The shark took a sharp turn and dove towards Fuuko. It happened so fast, although the girl sensed it all in slow-motion. 

"It's coming-it's going to eat me-Raiha!" 

"Keep an eye on it! Remember what I told you-" 

"Help me-Raiha-it's going to hurt me!" 

"If you can't defeat something that's only in your mind… if you need help to defeat a creature who doesn't exist… how can you possibly hope to succeed in the tournament?" 

Fuuko's eyes set in a steely glare and her teeth clenched as the shark rapidly closed the distance between them. At the last possible moment, she dodged to the side and grabbed onto its tail. 

_Like sandpaper, _she found herself marveling. _I can feel it…_ She absentmindedly remembered that she had always been able to feel and smell in the dreams in which her prince was present. However, she was busy concentrating on hanging on. Its tail was incredibly strong, and it took some effort to activate the Fuujin. She sent a blade of wind lashing through the water at the fish. The wind was considerably slowed down by her underwater state, but it still managed to place a gash in the shark's gills. And then its nose. And then a fin. Again. And again. And again. Finally, she could hold on no longer, and she let go. 

The shark swam off, injured, in search of easier prey. 

Fuuko was breathing heavily. She glanced over at Raiha as he caught up to her. 

"Good job!" he approved. "You used the shark's own body as your defense. You knew its limitations, the range of its teeth. You knew its vulnerable points… and you attacked them. Even working under these limitations of being underwater, you were still resourceful." 

"Don't tell me there are going to be any sharks at the tournament," complained Fuuko, looking challengingly at him. "I don't want to deal with any underwater battles. I doubt I'll do as well with scuba gear strapped to my back." 

"If there are any sharks, you'll know how to handle them, ne?" returned Raiha, grinning cheerfully. 

"Arigatou for your advice," said Fuuko, and she gave him a hug, which he gently returned. She scowled up at him. "What kind of a wimpy hug is that?" she demanded. "I'm your princess… I expect better than that!" 

He raised an eyebrow ever-so-slightly, the smile turning up slightly more at one corner of his mouth. "A challenge?" he asked lightly, his arms still lightly draped over her shoulders. 

Fuuko shook  her head. "A command," she returned, with an impish smile. "The villain has been defeated. Which means that it's time for the hero to give his princess a crushing hug and a punishing kiss and reprimand her for making him worry in the first place." 

"It's your dream, ne?" responded Raiha, still with the mysterious grin. "I suppose I'll have to capitulate to your will eventually." 

He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. One hand threaded through her purple hair; the other gently rubbed her back. He gently brushed his lips along the side of her neck, enjoying the softness of her skin and the smell of her hair, before pulling away slightly. He cupped her chin in one hand, tilting her head up. He gazed at her solemnly for several moments. 

"Mm?" murmured Fuuko questioningly, her eyes only halfway open. He shook his head. 

"Nothing," he answered, still making no move. 

Fuuko frowned. She reached out and pulled his head closer to hers, meeting his lips with her own. "Making your Hime do all the work," she murmured, mock-scoldingly, through their kiss. 

He couldn't help but smile at that. Very well. It was her dream. He slid his lips over hers a little more insistently now, biting gently at her lower lip, tracing her features with gentle fingers. She murmured softly, parting her lips and allowing him to deepen their kiss._ It feels so real,_ she marveled yet again. _Even underwater, he has cologne… it smells so nice…_

Raiha pulled her against himself more tightly-and then realized that there was nothing in his arms. 

* * * 

Fuuko opened her eyes wide. "Domon!" she exclaimed irately, smashing him with the pillow. Curses! Why did he have to interrupt? 

"It's 8 AM," he said, rubbing his nose sadly. "Fuuko… you don't have to be so mean about it. I always wake you up at 8 AM. We have to go train." 

"I was having a great dream," scowled Fuuko. "And you had to go interrupt it." 

Domon shrugged. "How was I supposed to know? Get dressed, and we can go practice. Unless," he added hopefully, surveying her half-open nightshirt, "You want to fight in your pajamas." 

"Ecchi!" she yelled, hurling a pillow after his retreating figure. She sighed and flopped back onto his pillows. _It was just getting good, _she thought disconsolantly, touching her lips. 

   [1]: mailto:koganeikaoru@hotmail.com
   [2]: http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/Dell/2329/recca/recca.htm



	4. Yume: Reality

**Yume: Chapter Three:**   
**Reality**   
**dedicated to**   
**Fuuko no Miko**

**[Bottou-chan][1]**

**[My Page][2]**

Sweet dreams 'til sunbeams find you,   
Sweet dreams that leave all worries far behind you,   
Birds singing in the sycamore tree,   
Dream a little dream of me.   
-the Mamas and the Papas 

****** 

"Excuse me!" Fuuko had bumped into someone. A pair of arms reached out and kept her from falling. "Ah, gomen! I wasn't watching where I was going." In her haste to explore the mysterious castle, she hadn't been paying attention. 

"Are you all right?" The man looked at her in concern, letting go of her.__

_He looks like the guy in my dream from the other week,_ she thought to herself in surprise. She had kissed the prince in her dream… she hadn't dreamed of him since. They hadn't had a chance to pick up where they had left off. Blushing, she looked up. "I'm fine," she said, mentally scolding herself for being so clumsy. 

"Are you with the tournament?" he asked. 

Fuuko nodded. "Yeah… I saw this castle, and I was curious," she explained. 

"I live there. I can be your tour guide," he suggested, giving her a goofy smile. 

"Really?" Fuuko grinned back. _He doesn't really look like the guy in my dream at all… my prince doesn't look half as goofy as this guy does…_

They walked towards the castle and he allowed her to enter. They were confronted by security guards. 

"Welcome back," said one of them, bowing to Raiha. "Who is this young lady?" He looked at Fuuko in concern. 

"She's my girlfriend," grinned Raiha. 

Fuuko scowled darkly. She grabbed him and pushed him against a wall. "Who's your girlfriend?" she demanded threateningly. 

He gently removed her hands from clutching the lapels of his outfit, smoothing out the wrinkles. Sweatdropping slightly, he said, "Sorry… just a joke. But come on…" They began walking through a long corridor, past a staircase. 

"What's up those stairs?" she asked curiously. 

"The first floor's open for tours, but I can't show you the second floor. Still, there's a lot of really interesting things and-" he turned around. "Erm… where'd you go?" he asked, looking around. 

Fuuko had left. 

*  * *__

_Such an idiot,_ thought Fuuko as the waves swirled higher and higher around her. _I was such an idiot… I shouldn't have left my Fuujin in Domon's bag. I shouldn't have wandered off alone… I shouldn't have run away from that guy… I shouldn't have been so curious about this stupid second floor… I shouldn't have activated the trap door…_ She mentally berated herself. _Baka, baka, baka, baka, baka…_

The ceiling got closer and closer. ::Would the water stop rising while there was still air left?:: she wondered. Slim chance. It looked like this trap was meant to discourage intruders. Permanently. 

* * * 

Fuuko's body hung suspended in the water, unmoving. 

_I'm a mermaid again! _thought Fuuko joyfully._ I don't have to worry about drowning… look at all these fish… so free… I can swim… so free… how nice and warm the water is…_

Her body bobbed slightly as the water began to drain. But the girl made no move to rush to the surface for the precious air. 

_Just like the dream… my prince will come, and we'll battle sharks together! Explore shipwrecks! Swim through the reefs!! _she thought exultantly._ The mermaid princess waiting for her merman prince. He'll come for me…_

Raiha sloshed through the remnants of water remaining to drain,  making his way towards the sopping-wet Fuuko, and gave her mouth-to-mouth to revive her. 

_He'll come for me… he'll kiss me… he'll hold me… such strong arms…_ Fuuko thought languidly, still unconscious. "My prince…" 

"Fuuko, are you all right?" came a concerned voice, penetrating the clouds of her unconsciousness. 

"Who's calling me? Is it my prince?" murmured Fuuko, unaware that she was speaking. She felt someone help her sit up, and she coughed and spluttered. There was still some water in her lungs. Not very romantic… 

"It's your prince, at your service, here to save you," grinned her purple-haired tour guide. "Are you all right?" 

Fuuko was mortified. Her face was crimson and she screamed at him, shaking the mansion to its very foundations. 

"You're not supposed to eavesdrop in on my dreams!" she bellowed, punching him for all she was worth. He fell backwards, his eyes spiraling and a large bump appearing on the side of his head. She fled from the chamber. 

He counted to thirty, then opened his eyes. He easily rolled into a sitting position, rubbing his head gently. "Ahhh, Fuuko. You're much different when you're awake. Intriguing no matter what, but different," he grinned, to no one in particular. Still, he would let her go. She needed to keep her pride intact. There would be chances enough to run into her during what was left of the week's fighting. 

And there was always the Yume. 

   [1]: mailto:koganeikaoru@hotmail.com
   [2]: http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/Dell/2329/recca/recca.htm



End file.
